heermans



2 Sheets Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

T. W. HBBRMANS. INMGATOR PoR ELEvAToRs.

Patented July 26 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

. T. W. HEERMANS. INDIUATUR POR LvATons.

10.479,422. Patented July 26, l1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THADDEUS W'. HEERMANS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE ELEVATORSUPPLY AND REPAIR COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

INDICATOR FOR ELEVATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 479,422, dated July 26,1892.

Application filed Tune 24, 1891. Serial No. 397.342. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THADDEUS W. HEER- MANs, of Chicago, in the county ofCook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Indicator Mechanism for Elevators, of which I do declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification.

My present invention has for its object to provide improved indicatormechanism whereby the position of the elevator-car and its direction oftravel in the shaft or hatchway may be readily determined by persons atthe various floors or landings of the building. This .Object ofinvention I have accomplished by the various novel features ofconstruction hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanyin gdrawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of thisspecification.

Figure lis a view in vertical section through the hatchway of anelevator, the car of the elevator being shown in side elevation. Fig. 2is an enlarged detail view of the differential drum or pulley foreffecting the shift of the indicator-cable. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailView in side elevation, parts being broken away, showing one of theindices and means whereby it is connected to the indicator-rod. Fig. Ais a detail end view of the differential drum or pulley, showing aportion of the elevator-car, to which it is secured. Fig. 5 is a view invertical section through an elevator-hatchway, showing a modifiedeinbodiment of my improved indicator mechanism. Fig. 6 is a plan Viewshowing the means for sustaining the differential drum and indicater-rodat the top of the elevator-hatchway.

A designates the hatchway or shaft, within which will travel theelevator car or cab B, any suitable mechanism being employed for raisingand lowering this car.

Within the hatchwayA or other convenient point is suspended an indicatorrod or pipe C, the movement of this pipe serving to operate the variousindices at the different floors of the building. These indices may beemployed in any desired number and in the preferred embodiment of myinvention. Each of the indices is of the construction illustrated moreparticularly in Fig. 3 of the drawings-that is to say, there is placedadjacent each door that leads into'the hatchway an index-plate D, havingfigures thereon corresponding to the various floors or stories of thebuilding, and over this index-plate travels the pointer E, this pointerextending through a long slot f of a suitable tube F, that is carried bytubular brackets f and f2. The pointer E is attached to a cord G,preferably au endless cord, (or a chain may be employed, if desired,)that extends through the tube F and over the pulleys 2 and 3 in thebrackets f and f2, and through these brackets and over pulleys 4: and 5to a sleeve or collar I-l, that encircles the indicator-rod C, and isadj ustably held thereon by means of a screw h. Hence it will be seenthat as the indicator-rod C is raised or lowered a corresponding shiftof the point-er E will occur.

From top to bottom of the elevator-hatchway extends the indicator-cableK, the lower end of this cable being connected at the bottoni of thehatchway and the upper portion of the cable being extended over pulleys8 and 9, suitably sustained at the top of the hatchway. The upper end ofthe indicator-cable K is connected to the upper end of the indicator-rodC, preferably by means of a turnbuckle L, which allows for adjustment tocompensate for the stretching of the cable. The indicator-cable Kextends around a drum M,

conveniently attached to the elevator car or cab B and preferably at itslower portion. This drum M is journaled in brackets m, attached to thecar B, and may projectlaterally therefrom, so as to permit the cable Kto pass at one side of the car or cab B. The drum M is of varyingdiameter and is spirally grooved, so as to cause the indicator-cable Kto shift from end to end of the drum as the elevatorcar is raised orlowered.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that when theelevator-car is at its lowest position within the hatchway-that is tosay, at the first floor of the building-the indicator-cable K will bewound about the largest part of the drum M, and consequently the upperor free end of the cable K will be in its shortest condition, andconsequently the indicator-rod C will be at its highest point-and IOOthe ,indicator-pointer E will A be at the lowest point of theindicator-plate D. If now the elevator car or cable B is moved upward,the indicator-cable K will travel along the spiral groove of the drum Mtoward the smallerend of the drum, and consequently the upper portion ofthe indicator-cable K will be lengthcned, so as to permit theindicator-rod C to drop and cause the pointer E to travel npward uponthe indicator-plate D, so that when the car or cab B reaches the top ofthe hatchway the cable K will be wound about the smallest part of thedrum M and the indicatOr-pointerE will be coincident with the highestnumber upon the indicator-plate D. Thus it will be seen that the drum Mconstitutes a differential mechanism for imparting a varying shift ortension to the indicator-cable K,V

causing this cable to raise or lower the indicator-rod and shift theindicator-pointer in accordance with the rising and falling of theelevator car or cab. Hence it will be seen that by means of theindicator-plate andV its pointer, controlled by the mechanism abovedescribed, the position andl direction of the elevator-car within thehatchway can be readily determined at any landing of the building.

I do not wish my invention to be understood as restricted to aconstruction in which the indicator-cable K is engaged with theelevator-car itself, since it is obvious that without departing from thespirit of the invention the shift of the cable can be effected bysuitable diiferential mechanism attached to other suitable part of theelevator mechanism-as, for example, by engagement with a drum carried bythe usual connterbalance-weights that are employed for the elevator-carand which move in correspondence therewith. So, also, I do not wish theinvention to be understood as restricted to the precise form orarrangement of mechanism between the indicatorcable and the variousindices, since, obviously, these may be modied within wide limitswithout departing from the spirit of the invention. So, also, it isplain that instead of locating the indicator-cable K directly in thehatchway it would be feasible to locate this cable at one side of thehatchway, or in case the differential drum M is to be connected with theweights the cable K will be locatedin proper position with respectthereto. Manifestly, also, the feature of employing a shifting cableextending from top to bottom of the hatchway and suitably connected toone or more indices is of importance whether this cable be wound about adifferential drum or whether the strain or pull upon the cable tovaryits working length be eected in any other convenient manner, since Iregard it as within the scope of my invention to employ any othersuitable form of differential mechanism for operating in conjunctionwith this cable to produce the desired shift of the indicator-pointers.

In Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawingsI have illustrated a modified form of myinvention. In

this form ofthe invention Ihave provided an indicator-cable K, extendingfrom top to bottom of the elevator-hatchway, the cable K being trainedover a pulley 20 at the bottom of the hatchway and over' the diderentialdrum M, which in this-form` of my invention is mounted at the top of thehatchway within a journal-frame M', suitably sustained by brackets M2.To the arm M3, projecting from the frame, is connected ytheindicator-rod C, the construction of this rod and its connection withthe indices being preferably the same as that illustrated in Figs. 1 and2 of the drawings and as hereinbefore described. In this form of myinvention, as in that hereinbefpre set forth, the differential drum M isspirally grooved and is conical or tapering from end to end. Theindicator-cable K is passed with two or more turns about the drum and isso arranged upon the drum that when the car is at its highest positiontheindicator-cable K will `be at one end of the drum and will graduallyvator-caris raised. It is plain that as the indif cater-cable is thusshifted in unison with the travel of the elevator-car from end to end ofthe differential drum or pulley M the indicatorcable K will,as itapproaches the smaller end of the drum, allow the frame M to rock andallow the indicator-rod C, connected withA this frame, to move downward.So, also, as the indicator-cable is moved toward the larger end of thediiferential drum M acorresponding lifting of the indicator-rod willbeeffected. To move the indices, instead of connecting the indicator-cableK to the top and bottom of the elevator-car B, as shown, the cableK maybe formed as a continuous cable, being connected to one side of the carin any convenient manner.

It is obvious that instead of connecting the indicator-cable K to thecar it might be connected to the counterbalance-weights of the elevatormechanism, so as to effect the movement of the indicator-rod in unisonwith the travel of the car.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. An indicator mechanism for elevators,

dividnal indices and with a vertically-moving part of the elevatormechanism--such, for example, as the car-of an indicator-cable connectedwith said indices and by the shifting of which cable said indices areoperated, said indicator-cable extending into engagement with saidvertically-moving part of the elevator mechanism and having a fixedsupport and being sustained in a manner permitting its Working length tobe varied, and suitable means for shifting said cable to vary itsworking length, and thereby eect the proper movement of the indices,substantially as described.

2. An indicator mechanism for elevators, comprising the combination,with suitable individual indices and with a vertically-mov- IOC IIO

comprising the combination, with suitable in- Y ing part of the elevatormechanism, such as the car, of an indicator-cable engaged by saidvertically-moving part of the elevator mechanism, said indicator-cableextending from top to bottom of the hatchway and having a fixedconnection and being sustainedin a manner permitting it to be shifted soas to vary its working length, and suitable means for shifting saidindicator-cable to vary its working length, and thereby impart movementto the several indices, substantially as described.

8. An indicator mechanism for elevators, comprising the combination,with suitable individual indices, of a vertically-moving part of theelevator mechanism-such, for example, as the elevator-car--anindicator-cable extending from top to bottom of the hatchway, a fixedsupport for one end of said cable, the opposite end of said cable beingfree to move and being suitably connected with the indices, and'suitablemeans operated by the vertically-moving part of the elevator mechanism,whereby the working length of said cable may be varied to effect themovement of said indices, substantially as described.

4. An indicator mechanism for elevators, comprising the combination,with suitable individual indices, of an indicator-cable suitablyconnected with said individual indices, a reciprocating part of theelevatormechanism, such as the car, with which said cable is engaged,said indicator-cable having a fixed connection or support and beingconnected with the indices in manner permitting the working length ofsaid cable to be varied, and suitable differential mechanism for varyingthe working length of the cable to effect the shift of the indices,substantially as described.

5. An indicator mechanism for elevators, comprising the combination,with suitable indices, of an indicator-cable extending from top tobottom of the hatchway, a xed support for one end of said cable, theopposite end of said cable being free to move and being suitablyconnected with the indices, and a differential drum over which saidcable passes and whereby the workinglength of said cable may be variedto effect the movement of the indices, substantially as described.

6. A11 indicator mechanism for elevators,

comprising an indicator-cable having one end sustained by a fixedconnection and having its opposite end free to shift and suitablyconnected with the indices, an elevator-car, and a differential drum orpulley connected to said elevator-car over which said indicatorcablepasses and whereby the workinglength of said cable may be varied toimpart movement to the indices, substantially as described.

7. An indicator mechanism for elevators, comprising the combination,with suitable indices, of means for shifting said indices,con sisting ofan indicator-cable connected with said indices, a vertically-moving partof the elevator mechanism with which said cable is engaged, and aspirally-grooved idler-drum of varying diameter over which saidindicatorcable passes, whereby said cable when shifted from end to endof said drum will cause the working length of said indicator-cable tovary to effect the movement of the indices, substantially as described.

8. An indicator mechanism for elevators, comprising a suitableindicator-cable extending from top to bottom of the hatchway and adifferential mechanism engaging the said cable to impart a varying shiftthereto, said differential mechanism being connected to theelevator-car, and a suitable index or indices, and a connection betweensaid index and said cable, substantially as described.

9. vAn indicator mechanism for elevators, comprising the combination,with suitable indices, of the indicator-cable K, extending from t-op tobottom of the hatchway and suitably connected to said indices, anelevatorcar B, and a spirally-grooved drum or pulley M, attached to theelevator-car over which drum the indicator-cable passes, substantiallyas described.

l0. An indicator mechanism for elevators, comprisingthe combination,with suitable indices, ofthe indicator-rod C, connected to said indices,an indicator-cable K, extending from top to bottom of the hatchway andhaving its lower end fast and its upper free end connected to theindicator-rod, and a dierential drum carried by the car and around whichdrum the said indicator-cable passes, substantially as described.

THADDEUS WV. I-IEERMANS.

Witnesses:

GEo. P. FISHER, J r., T. B. CARPENTER.

IOO

